Russia Warns of Fines for Violations in Pre-Referendum Polling

Kazakhstan's General Prosecutor's Office has issued a strict warning on the rules for conducting public opinion polls ahead of a nationwide constitutional referendum scheduled for March 15, 2026.

The supervisory body clarified that only legal entities registered in the country with at least five years of experience are authorized to conduct sociological research on the constitutional issue. These organizations must notify the Central Election Commission in advance and provide a complete package of documents.

Media outlets and online platforms publishing poll results are required to disclose full information, including the organizer and client of the survey, its methodology and date, the exact wording of the question, sample size, and statistical margin of error.

The law imposes strict temporal restrictions: publishing poll results is prohibited for the five days leading up to the vote and on the day of the referendum itself, March 15. Conducting surveys at polling stations on referendum day is also banned.

The Prosecutor's Office has already identified four violations: three illegal polls and one publication lacking the mandatory data. Administrative penalties have been levied against two citizens, one legal entity, and the owner of a print publication, all of whom received fines.

The pre-referendum campaign will last for three days according to the CEC's calendar. March 14 is designated as a day of silence, and the official voting results must be tallied and published no later than March 21, 2026.